US Taiwan Defense Command: Taiwan Chow Chow Club

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Taiwan Chow Chow Club

Now here's one I never heard about when I was at TDC:

In the early sixties, Sarj Bloom was a member of the TCCC -- Taiwan Chow Chow Club -- which was a group of guys who met once a month at different restaurants in Taipei and consumed massive amounts of good food, along with numerous adult beverages. The group was not restricted to just USTDC personnel, nor was there any rank distinction. Both officers and enlisted personnel could be members of the group.

According to Sarj, the title of Pig of the Month was awarded to the guy who ate the most and who was the sloppiest while doing it. Members wore metal medallions on blue ribbons around their necks.

Displayed here is the TCCC logo and a menu for one of their feasts. Note that it was a ten course meal! Also note the phrase Ta Fun Tung; maybe someone here can translate that for us.

There were fines for not eating fast enough, not finishing a dish, etc. The objective was to win an award and a free meal by being a pig.

Sounds like my kind of organization!

6 comments:

Anonymous said...: "Ta Fan Tung" literally "Big Rice Barrel." Better translate this to "Dear Fellow Gluttons."; 06 May, 2008 12:29
Anonymous said...: Now, for the trivia fans out there,
does anyone remember group that I was a member of called the Taipei Volunteer Fire Department?

The only fires they were known to have put out were those caused by their consumption of massive quantities of food and "adult beverages".

I could elaborate on some of the stunts they pulled but this is, after all, a family blog.

The TVFD members were all recognized by the little fire bells they were required to carry at all times.

Jim Sartor; 06 May, 2008 17:50
Don said...: Gosh, I thought that I ate and drank as much as anyone back in those days, but I never heard of either of these groups.

That I'm still alive today seems to suggest that I got at least a little smarter after Taipei. ;-); 07 May, 2008 09:08
Anonymous said...: The TVFD are still there and drinking 'til their flat drunk the first Friday of every month. Google "taipei volunteer fire department" with the quote marks and you will find them.; 18 February, 2009 01:33
titojohn said...: There is a listing of old members of TVFD here: TVFD Names On the Bell
I recognize a couple of the names:
Rudy Arevelo (Band Leader at Club 63 in the 60’s)
George O’Keefe (aka George O’Keeffe – Admiral Chew’s Aide)
Regards,
John Quinn; 18 February, 2009 09:18
Don said...: I see good old Jim Sartor's name on the bell also!; 18 February, 2009 10:02

Overview

The United States Taiwan Defense Command was a sub-unified command which reported directly to the Commander-in-Chief Pacific (CINCPAC). The command was composed of personnel from all branches of the U.S. armed forces and had its headquarters in Taipei.

Operational since November 1, 1955, USTDC was a planning headquarters for the defense of Taiwan and the Pescadores. In the event of hostilities, the Commander, USTDC, would have assumed an operational role and coordinated with the Government of the Republic of China in the defense of Taiwan and the Pescadores. In the event of such a contingency, three existing service commanders would have reported to the U.S. Taiwan Defense Command commander. The 327th Air Division commander would be the air component commander, the Taiwan Patrol Force commander would be the naval component commander, and the Chief of the Military Assistance Advisory Group (MAAG) would be the Army component commander.

In addition to planning and peacetime responsibilities, the Commander of USTDC was assigned as the Single Senior Military Representative of Commander-in-Chief Pacific (CINCPAC). As such, he served as CINCPAC's single military spokesman on Taiwan -- exclusive of the miliitary assistance program -- and assumed responsibility for coordinating administrative and other policy matters for all U.S. armed forces on Taiwan on behalf of CINCPAC.

After twenty-three years, five months and twenty-six days of operation, the U.S. Taiwan Defense Command held its final flag retreat ceremony during the afternoon of April 26, 1979. Marine SSG D. J. Gemmecke lowered the colors for the last time.

Rear Admiral James P. Linder, the last USTDC Commander, departed Taiwan on April 28, 1979, accompanied by his wife Patricia.

Today there is no trace of the large American military compound on Chung Shan North Road in which USTDC was located. The area now contains a modern art museum, a park and a large sports stadium.

I am not a historian, but I do recognize that history unrecorded is history lost. My objective here is simply to record some of my own experiences as an Air Force enlisted man during my assignment to USTDC from 10 June 1973 until 4 September 1974, and to provide a platform for others to do the same.

Feel free to comment on any of these entries or to e-mail me with your own experiences and photographs. My e-mail address is displayed at the top and bottom of this column, or you can comment on any of my entries by clicking on "Comments" directly under each one.

Don Wiggins
SMSgt (Ret), USAF
Arkansas, USA
USTDC, J-12

Regarding Photographs

To the best of my knowledge, all photographs on this blog are either in the public domain or are displayed with the permission of their owners.

Owned photographs remain the sole property of the individuals who provided them. They are not to be downloaded, copied or reproduced in any form without the expressed written consent of their owners.

Send all requests for consent to me, through the email link at the bottom of this column, and I will pass them along to the owner of the photographs.

If you see any photographs here, past or present, which you believe have been inappropriately posted, contact me at the email address shown at the bottom of this column and they will be removed.

USTDC

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Taiwan Chow Chow Club

6 comments:

Taipei

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